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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29157849">I'll Scream into the Nothingness</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/6Space_Witch9/pseuds/6Space_Witch9'>6Space_Witch9</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Brainwashing, Carbonite Freezing (Star Wars), Clones run an empire, Co-Parenting, Crimson Dawn (Star Wars), Dictatorship, Failed Rebellion, Genocide, Heavy Angst, Interrogation, Jedi Culture &amp; Tradition (Star Wars), Jedi Training (Star Wars), Leia Organa as Obi-Wan Kenobi's Padawan, Lightsaber Construction (Star Wars), Luke Skywalker as Ahsoka Tano's Padawan, Major Character Injury, Militarization, Multi, Obsession, On the Run, Order 66 (Star Wars), Order 66 Happened Differently (Star Wars), Organized Crime, Past Relationship(s), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rebellion, Self-Sacrifice, Single Parent Anakin Skywalker, Stalking, The Force, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, world building</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 12:13:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,619</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29157849</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/6Space_Witch9/pseuds/6Space_Witch9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“How much do you know about the Galactic Order?” Her dad asks softly, and she swallows nervously.</p><p>“They took over near the end of clone wars, they reformed both Separatists and Republic to form the Galactic order. They’ve outlawed and criminalized people like us, who have the Force.” Luke says. Even all the way out in the Outer Rim they are under the control of the Order, while they don’t have a large presence and only come planetside in sparse intervals, it is still enough to live in fear.</p><p>“It really has been 15 years since then hasn’t it?” Her dad says to himself before he rubs his face roughly.</p><p>OR: Order 66 is executed but the chips malfunction, instead of turning the men into brainless soldiers loyal to Palpatine, they become vicious, sadistic warlords who establish their own Empire, killing the Sith and Jedi alike to rid the galaxy of anyone who could fight against them. </p><p>When the prophecy of the chosen one acts as a shining beacon of hope the Galactic Order will stop at nothing to extinguish it. For the sake of his children Anakin must return to the battlefield knowing that once he does, nothing will ever be the same.</p><p>Especially since Rex is the one hunting him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi, CT-7567 | Rex/Anakin Skywalker, Darth Maul &amp; Qi'ra, Ezra Bridger &amp; Kanan Jarrus, Ezra Bridger/Luke Skywalker, Hondo Ohnaka &amp; Ahsoka Tano, Hondo Ohnaka &amp; Leia Organa, Lando Calrissian &amp; Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa &amp; Anakin Skywalker &amp; Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa/Han Solo, Luke Skywalker &amp; Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi &amp; Anakin Skywalker &amp; Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi &amp; Leia Organa, Obi-Wan Kenobi &amp; Mace Windu, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, Plo Koon &amp; Ahsoka Tano, Qi'ra/Ahsoka Tano</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>103</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. 15 Years Later</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This had been sitting in my drafts for a while and I revamped it to something I actually liked so here you go!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The abrupt bucket of grimy water comes as an unwelcome surprise that rips Leia out of her meditation. She splutters and coughs as she springs to her feet and whips around looking for the culprit.</p><p>“Luke! That’s not funny!” Leia shouts at her cackling brother who sits high above her on a tree branch holding an empty bucket the used to contain the cold water that now drenches her from head to toe.</p><p>“Yes, it is! You look like a drowned womp rat!” He teases back and she clenches her fists, Ashla had just gotten her this tunic on one of her trips, it’s brand-new! Her brother is so annoying! He just drifts from day to day without a care in the world, did he not care that Dad and Uncle Ben stayed up late talking angrily in hushed tones when they thought she and him were asleep in the dead of night.</p><p>Did it not bug him that they couldn’t use their powers or the fact that they lived in the middle of nowhere on D’Qar? Or does he simply think this was normal? Their father, Uncle Ben and Ashla do their best to hide what the world is like outside their farm, but she isn’t stupid, she knows about the Galactic Order that rules their galaxy, <em>she knows they’re the reason she’s never met their mother</em>.</p><p>She’s 14 now, she’s not stupid. Does he not care that they’ve never met her? Does he not care that dad will stare off into the distance for no reason looking sadder than she has ever seen a person look before?</p><p>“You scruffy nerf-herder!” She shouts, she doesn’t mean to use the Force to push him off the branch, but she does, her anger gets the best of her and he flies off his perch with a shout of alarm.</p><p>“Luke!” She tries to focus her power again but her emotions are too frazzled to concentrate, to scrambled by panic to wrap the Force around him to stop his fall. He puts his hands out in front of him and the dirt explodes outwards in a dust wave as he uses the Force to halt his fall before. He easily flips himself the right way round and she’s worried enough to forget about how jealous she is over how the Force comes so easily to her brother.</p><p>“Leia!” He shouts angrily and even though she knows he has a right to mad at her, that he could have been seriously hurt, she still flinches away from his anger. It grates along her mind like bark under her fingernails.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” She mutters, something catches her eye over his shoulder, beyond his red angry face, something is wrong with the bushes just beyond the line of the trees.</p><p>“Dad told us not to use the Force unless he, Uncle Ben or Ashla are watching, what if I couldn’t stop myself from falling?” Luke says angrily, she can feel the rapid beat of his heart, she can feel the fear and anxiety that tinge his anger. He’s upset that she pushed him, she’s upset at him for ruining her meditation that she has been working so hard at and for almost hurting her brother.</p><p>The hailstorm of their own emotions clash against one another and it seems to even ruffle the leaves on the trees, the sun is setting, and they are far further than they should be from the homestead, if they don’t get back soon dad will be furious with them. She doesn’t like seeing her dad angry, he always looks so sad afterwards.</p><p>“I said I was sorry, okay? I lost control…” She says and she can see him gearing up for a lecture on how important control is when something rustles in the bushes.</p><p>“Someone’s there.” She whispers, hand going to the knife Uncle Ben had given to her, Luke frowns before his eyes widen as he senses the disturbance as well.</p><p>“Let’s check it out, someone could be in trouble.” Luke whispers back as he tiptoes in the direction of the bush before she can grab his tunic to pull him back.</p><p>“No one is supposed to know that we live here!” She hisses at him, alarmed that he is just going to waltz up to a rustling bush like it is no big problem.</p><p>“Hello?” Luke asks and she wants to smack her face out of existence with how stupid her brother could be sometimes.</p><p>“Luke…” She says warningly but he steps into the dark foliage anyway and she huffs a sigh. The sun is now turning a vibrant orange as it starts its slow dip towards the horizon and the dirt path back to their house won’t be visible for much longer.</p><p>“Leia…He’s hurt…It’s bad too, we have to help him.” Luke grunts as he drags a thin man from the bushes, he’s a Weequay maybe a few years younger than Uncle Ben but it is hard to tell. His face is slack and one of his eyes is swollen shut while the rest of his visible skin is covered in black bruises while deep cuts have either crusted over or ooze purple blood sluggishly.</p><p>“He could be a hunter for all we know, dad will be furious if we bring a stranger home, you know what happens to Force users when the Order catches them right?” She asks, wringing her hands nervously.</p><p>“I know, I know! But we can’t just leave him here if he dies on our farm, it will bring more attention to us.” Luke argues back and she can see his point, if the authorities come, they’ll start asking questions and then people will know who lives on the farm, <em>they’ll know</em> <em>that they were different.</em></p><p>“Who’s hurt?” Someone asks and Leia flips around ready to defend her brother with her life, but she immediately breaks out into a smile when she sees the familiar montrals and lekku. Her sienna skin that seems to glow in the sunset is a relieving sight to see.</p><p>“Ashla! You’re back! Dad said you wouldn’t be home until next week.” Leia says as she runs up to hug the older woman.</p><p>“Are Ben and your dad home today?” She asks, she’s dodging her questions which is never good, but Leia knows better than to push for questions that aren’t answered the first time.</p><p>“Yup, they should be making dinner now, but Ashla, Luke found this guy in the bush and he’s hurt really badly.” Leia explains, she tries her best to stay calm, she really does but the thought of the Galactic Order finding them scares her, it keeps her up at night. She’s seen what they do to people under the blonde man’s command.</p><p>“Oh no…Hondo… What have they done to you?” She whispers as she walks past Leia to kneel next to Luke and the beaten man. She presses her fingers to his forehead and closes her eyes, they wait for something to happen while the eastern horizon gets darker and darker with inky starlight.</p><p>Then, when she thinks the man won’t wake up, he gasps, then gargles and spasms like a bucket of cold water has been dumped on him.</p><p>“There you are, now can I get an explanation as to why you thought it was a good idea to take a day trip of Naboo? You know they keep that place locked tight.” Ashla says as she raises a white eye marking, she can feel that Ashla wants to be angry but is mostly just relieved that the man will live.</p><p>“I had a date, what can I say? I was supposed to meet a contact, but the Order knew I was coming and gave me a grand scale tour of their prison. It also seems that Skywalker was right, they didn’t destroy her.” The man gasps as more purple blood bubbles between his lips.</p><p>“We should talk about this later, I’m glad you’re still alive you stubborn pirate.” She huffs as she picks him up like he weighs nothing with hands under his knees and shoulders.</p><p>Maybe he does weigh nothing to Ashla, the older woman has biceps that she could only dream of having one day.</p><p>“We still do have a score to settle from all those years ago.” He huffs weakly.</p><p>“You do know that was at least 15 years ago, I don’t want you throwing your back out old man.” Ashla teases.</p><p>“I’m only 50 youngling, I could still teach you a thing or two.” He says before falling silent and Ashla frowns worriedly as she quickens her pace through the forest. She throws a backwards glance and is apparently satisfied enough with her search for hunters to go back to their farm.</p><p>They walk down the path with Ashla leading them on the well-memorized route while they follow behind her nervously. Luke is holding probably the biggest hat she has ever seen while the man called Hondo seemingly flits in and out of consciousness.</p><p>Soon, their homestead comes into view and she hasn’t been happier to be home. Seeing the smoke rise from the chimney with the yellow glow of inside lights casting onto the lush garden bordering their home makes her feel safe. While she has grown tired of being stuck on their farm, seeing it like this makes her never want to leave home again.</p><p>“Obi-Wan, Anakin we have a situation.” Ashla calls as she backs into the house through the front door.</p><p>“Ashla? What are you doing back so early, has something happened?” Her dad says as he rushes up the stairs from his basement workshop, still wearing his welding apron.</p><p>“Multiple somethings, we still have the emergency med room in working condition, right?” She asks and Leia is getting nervous, med room? Why would they need a med room for? They never seem to get hurt that badly out here and there’s a hospital in the city just a 20-minute speeder trip away.</p><p>“Are you hurt-? Oh fuck, okay Luke can you get Obi-W-Uncle Ben from the garden? Leia, can you help Ashla bring Hondo downstairs?” Her dad asks and she nods her head and straightening her back, she has a job to do.</p><p>“Dad…Who is he? Why do you and Ashla know him so well?” Leia asks timidly.</p><p>“That’s a complicated question Leia, though it is about time you and Luke know the truth. The truth about everything this time.” Anakin huffs a tired sigh as he tosses his gloves onto the bench as he takes Hondo’s limp body from Ashla.</p><p>The gold of his robotic hand is striking next to the man’s skin, he has gone ashen since the time they pulled him from the bush, he looks even sicked than he did before.</p><p>Abruptly Uncle Ben bursts through the door followed by Luke looking half spooked by the gentle man’s intensity. He takes a shuddering breath through his nose when he sees the sight of the Weequay.</p><p>“The doors have been locked and from the looks of it, no one knows he’s here, I have no idea how long he’s been outside for but the Order let him go, whatever they have planned it isn’t going to be good for anyone.” Ashla says as she beckons Luke and Leia to follow the three adults down into the basement.</p><p>She’s seen the basement plenty of times as she’s been down to help her dad on his various projects for work and it’s where she got to customize the first speeder bike that she got last year.</p><p>Ashla slaps a panel on the wall and a hidden door suddenly retracts opening up what looks like an operating theatre, the one Luke had been in when had broken his leg three years ago. Why would they have an operating theatre in the basement?</p><p>“Dad...?” Luke asks as he shuffles into the stark white room.</p><p>“I know you two must have a lot of questions but please, I need your help to save our friend, I’ll tell you everything after we get him stable.” Her dad says as he places the other man down on the biobed and immediately starts stripping the man’s clothes off.</p><p>She gags when she sees the rest of the man’s body, how every inch of his is covered in cuts and burns and scars that barely leave an inch of brown leathery skin uncovered.</p><p>“They really put him through it this time, it’s worse than the other times they’ve managed to catch him.” Ashla mutters angrily and Leia flinches away from her anger.</p><p>“This won’t be pleasant for him, Luke, Leia hold his legs down and whatever you do, don’t let go.” Uncle Ben says as he wipes down the long deep cuts on Hondo’s body with anti-septic. She feels how his muscles jump under her hands before he groans softly, tossing his head back and forth mumbling something too soft for her to hear.</p><p>He wails and jerks as Uncle Ben starts pulling shards of metal out of the deep cuts, she almost loses her grip on his leg as he flails wildly.</p><p>“Leia, I need you in the here and now, don’t focus on his pain, there is no emotion, only peace.” Her dad says to her and she nods her head and tries to shut out the man’s feverish whimpering and moans of pain.</p><p><em>Emotion, yet peace. Ignorance, yet knowledge. Passion, yet serenity. Chaos, yet harmony. Death, yet the Force</em>.</p><p>She forces herself to repeat the mantra over and over again. She repeats until the man falls quiet again, when he stops begging for them to just kill him, when Uncle Ben wraps his injuries in bacta bandages and patches with a pinched expression.</p><p>“Leia my dear, you can let go of him now, Hondo will be fine, go join your father and brother upstairs Ashla and I can look over our friend for now.” Uncle Ben says gently as he lays a hand on her shoulder, she hadn’t realized that she is still squeezing the life out of the unconscious man’s shin. She quickly pulls her hands away as her face flames in a fierce blush.</p><p>“There is no shame in the things you are feeling my dear, I fear you may face many things like this in the coming days, but for now go join your brother and father, he has much to tell you.” Uncle Ben says.</p><p> She hugs him tightly before giving one last glance at the peacefully unconscious Hondo before she runs up the stairs and through the house until she finds them on their back porch.</p><p>Her dad is holding a glass of amber liquid, which is never good.</p><p>“How much do you know about the Galactic Order?” Her dad asks softly, and she swallows nervously.</p><p>“They took over near the end of clone wars, they reformed both Separatists and Republic to form the Galactic order. They’ve outlawed and criminalized people like us, who have the Force.” Luke says.</p><p>Even all the way out in the Outer Rim they are under the control of the Order, while they don’t have a large presence and only come planetside in sparse intervals, it is still enough to live in fear.</p><p>“It really has been 15 years since then hasn’t it?” Her dad says to himself before he rubs his face roughly.</p><p>“Dad what is it? What’s going on?” Luke asks his anxiety is like a whipcrack against her heart.</p><p>“The history of the Galactic Order is complicated, I’m not even sure where I should even start. I guess I should start telling you that Ashla and Ben aren’t exactly Ashla and Ben. The three of us took you into hiding once we were sure that the Galactic Order were harvesting and executing Force users. We used to be Jedi, an Order thousands of years old of Force users who were trained to keep the peace across the galaxy. We had an army given to us when the war started, they were some of the best men I have ever known, but they had these chips implanted in their brains which made them different, like they had just been wiped away. One day we had an army, the next those same men were hunting us down. We couldn’t fight back so we took you and your sister and ran as far as we could go, they were too powerful and had decimated the galaxy in an instant. I’m sure you know of the Commanding Officer known as the <strong><em>Interrogator</em></strong>?” Her dad asks but she feels too numb to even breathe, it all makes sense but none of it makes sense.</p><p>“He’s the one that killed mom, wasn’t he?” Luke says angrily and her dad nods.</p><p>“He had a name once, I came to love him, only for him to be ripped away from me.” Her dad says sounding pained.</p><p>“What was his name?” She asks, it’s weird to know that the infamous officer of the Galactic Order had been a person long ago, when all he invokes now is fear and pain.</p><p>“Rex, he was my Captain. I fell in love with him harder than I ever did with anyone else. Only the love for your mother had the same passion that I had for him” Her dad replies.</p><p>“Can you tell us more, about what life was like before? Maybe we can find a way to make things right again? I know people want to fight against the Order, we can help the.” Luke asks hopefully.</p><p>“The Jedi’s time has long been expired and I don’t think we can go back to normal after so long of being hunted but I will do everything in my power to make life better for you, I promise. But for now, I will tell you everything from the start.” Her dad says and she leans into his side as he starts on a tale from long ago, from when things were better.</p><p>
  <em>15 YEARS EARLIER….</em>
</p><p>“Rex…walk with me if you have the time?” Anakin asks as he jogs up to meet his Captain’s pace, the drills have been run, the reports and requisition documents have been completed and sent off, he has surprisingly found himself at a loss of things to do, it’s strange.</p><p>In a war that never seems to stop, he has completed every single task he could while in hyperspace. With Ahsoka at the Temple to complete the last leg of her studies, he doesn’t have a growing teenager to wrangle either.</p><p>The blue streaks of hyperspace have started making him nauseous with how they relentlessly speed past the viewports throughout the Resolute, he had to stretch his legs. So, he had opted to grab the bottle of brandy Kit had discreetly handed him when he had been at the Temple some months ago and find company to pass the time, however, there is only one man he had in mind to search out.</p><p>“Of course, General, the shinies have all been tucked in for the night so my schedule’s free.” Rex replies, pausing briefly to let the Jedi catch up.</p><p>The man is in his softshell unform with the grey jacket undone to reveal a tight sleeveless top underneath, Rex from three years ago would’ve been scandalized by the current Rex’s lack of decorum, but he isn’t complaining. He likes the man his Captain has grown into. He does remember how he had to essentially pry the man out of his armour for their extended hyperspace travels, especially on trips that would last for almost a week, hopping from different rims depending on who needed the most saving.</p><p>Seeing the man with his jacket barely hanging off his shoulders makes him smile, it’s also a good view.</p><p>“How are they doing? I know that campaign was a little scrappier than I usually like to keep it.” Anakin says as he shakes his bottle and jerks his head in the direction of his cabin. He’s all too pleased when Rex smirks and nods his head.</p><p>“A little shaken up after their first battle, but overall we got out lucky, no KIA or MIA and Snowcap along with Jaws will recover from their injuries by the time we get back to Corrie.” Rex says and Anakin sighs in relief, it is always good to hear from his Captain that they’re getting back home with everyone in their bunks.</p><p>So many have been lost in the war already and he see show it weighs on Rex, he hopes him being here makes it easier for the Captain in and out of battle, he hopes that he enjoys their shared moments as much as he does.</p><p>He feels something for the man, what he <em>feels</em> he doesn’t quite know. His relationship with Padmé is complicated, he knows he should have cut their friends with benefits relationship off far earlier than he did, but he had been selfish.</p><p>And now they both have to confront the consequences.</p><p>She’s pregnant with his child but even as he offered to marry her, she had firmly said no, again. Once when he was younger, he had hoped that he would be the one to marry her, she knew this and as the mature responsible one she had shut him down.</p><p>Marriage was not in the cards for them, not as they were, he had promised to leave the order for her so that they could be together, that he would give her anything she wanted as long as they were together. But she had known how much being a Jedi meant to him, it was his whole life, and she knew he wasn’t going to be happy if he left, so she had put her foot down and left.</p><p>He hated her for breaking his heart, but he had grown older. He had matured with the passage of time and with Obi-Wan’s support, he grew to realize that life wouldn’t collapse around him because of one heartbreak, because he didn’t get what he wanted.</p><p>Later, after years had passed and the pain had dulled, they had reconvened their friendship and simply turned their romantic feelings into a more carnal release. It made life less complicated and much more pleasurable for the both of them.</p><p>However, now the choices they made shows they weren’t as careful as they thought they were being.</p><p>“Something on your mind General?” Rex asks as they slip through the door of his cabin.</p><p>“Can I tell you something in confidence?” Anakin asks sheepishly, if there is one person, he can tell it’s his Captain.</p><p>“Of course, you can tell me anything.” Rex replies as he furrows his brow before accepting the tumbler or brandy Anakin has poured for him.</p><p>“Padme’s pregnant.” Anakin says bluntly and he almost winces as the truth hits his own ears and how Rex’s eyebrows have climbed to his hairline in shock.</p><p>“Uhm, Congratulations sir? I didn’t know that you and Senator Amidala were married.” Rex says haltingly and Anakin has to stop himself from laughing at the absurdity of the situation.</p><p>“Not married Rex, just made a series of bad decisions. I’m telling you this because I know I can trust you to keep a secret. You really are the only person I can trust with this.” Anakin admits as places his hand on his Captains knee.</p><p>“I would hope you could trust me with anything General.” Rex says somewhat huskily before he clears his throat roughly and takes another sip of his drink.</p><p>“I trust you with me life and more, I always have, and please call me Anakin when we’re alone.” Anakin says as he looks into Rex’s wide eyes as it feels like the temperature in his cabin skyrockets to simmering numbers.</p><p>“Anakin, then.” Rex says with a huff before he licks his lips nervously.</p><p>Anakin breaks the tension, he can’t stand not doing anything any longer.</p><p>“Forgive me if this seems out of line but I’ve always thought of you to be one of the best things life has gifted me, I wouldn’t want anyone else by my side.” He says as he inches closer to Rex’s face as he crawls closer.</p><p>“Likewise, I would always want you as my General in any life…Are you going to kiss me Anakin?” Rex whispers huskily and he moans softly hearing his own name fall from the man’s mouth.</p><p>“I just might.” He replies as he leans and cups the man’s jaw and brings him forward for breath-stealing kiss.</p><p>Rex moans into his mouth as Anakin rolls them over onto his bunk and he slinks his hands under the man’s coat. His captain fumbles as he tries to pull his robes apart and he groans in frustration as he fails to find the ties and buckles keeping him contained in his many layers of fabric.</p><p>He laughs teasingly as he kisses down Rex’s neck as he works on undoing his belt. Abruptly the ships klaxon alarm shatters the atmosphere of their coupling as they jump apart and Anakin curses the universe for its ridiculous sense of timing.</p><p><em>“Anakin! Where are you? Coruscant is under attack! We need your forces redirected to the Capital now!”</em> Obi-Wan shouts his voice coming from his commlink, sounding near-hysterical in a way he has never heard his former Master sound before.</p><p>“Of course, Master, we’re entering Coruscant space now, we’ll be there in no time.” Anakin replies confused at Obi-Wan’s tone but the feed fizzles out before he can say anything more.</p><p>“I’ll get the men prepared, here’s to hoping we can beat back whoever is attacking Coruscant, so we still have a little shore leave left.” Rex jokes as he straightens his uniform into something more presentable before he pauses and drags Anakin into a quick kiss before he runs out the door.</p><p>He would make good use of his shore leave this time around, but now he has a job to do.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Let Me Tell You How My Life Fell Apart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>He doesn’t know how it’s gone so wrong as he and Rex are forced to their knees alongside Cody and Obi-Wan. His former Master’s face is covered in blood and he sways precariously, and he worries about the injuries that he can’t see.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>15 YEARS EARLIER….</p><p>He doesn’t know how it’s gone so wrong as he and Rex are forced to their knees alongside Cody and Obi-Wan. His former Master’s face is covered in blood and he sways precariously, and he worries about the injuries that he can’t see.</p><p>The smoke and flames of destruction are put on display outside of the Chancellor’s office and he feels like the assailants are taunting them with the mayhem that he can’t do anything about. Something is very wrong, so very wrong as he can only watch helplessly as the Chancellor is held at gunpoint with Dooku’s headless body only a few feet away, too many questions bombarded his mind but with the way Fox is scowling at him tells him that he’s more likely to get a severe punishment rather than an answer if he's to open his mouth.</p><p>“You Jedi and Sith make life so complicated, your kind is so easily corrupted by your attachments and your emotions, but your power? Your power is delectable.” Fox says as he nudges the Chancellor’s head to the side with the tip of his blaster.</p><p>“Fox…what’s the meaning of this, brother... you aren’t yourself, this isn’t you! Put the blaster down and we can help.” Cody tries to say but Thorn buries his boot into Cody’s stomach, and he’s tossed to the ground effortlessly.</p><p>“Oh, CC-2224 always the optimist, always looking for the best in people, it’s a surprise you found any redeemable qualities in this Jedi filth you call a General. But then again you have been fucking him so I guess I can understand that a warm body can be convincing.” Fox tuts as he pulls Cody up by his hair as the man shouts in part pain and part anger as he tries to wriggle out of Fox’s grasp.</p><p>“Isn’t that right Chancellor Palpatine, or should I say... Lord Sidious?” Fox says and Palpatine scowls darkly.</p><p>
  <em>Wait…no, that can’t be true.</em>
</p><p>“Chancellor, what does he mean?” He asks, explosions rock outside the window shattering glass and throwing smoke into the office as the clones laugh darkly.</p><p>“You really haven’t figured it out? Your precious Chancellor Palpatine has been playing you all for fools for years, <em>he is</em> the Sith Lord and orchestrator of the Clone Wars. It’s quite an obvious plan if I do say so myself and I’m surprised you all-knowing Jedi hadn’t uncovered it sooner.” Thorn says as Palpatine remains deathly silent. Toxic rage rolls off him in waves that he’s never felt before and they threaten to drown him.</p><p>“You lie!” Anakin shouts as he tries to rise to his feet only for Thorn to point his pistol to Rex’s forehead and he begrudgingly falls back down to his knees with a curse. He spares a glance in his Captain’s direction and the man meets his gaze and tries to reassure him best he can beaten and gaged as he is.</p><p>“Now why would we lie? If the Sith Lord hadn’t given the order we would’ve never been freed from our prisons, we can see the galaxy now for what it is, we know exactly what it needs, the galaxy has never needed peace, only with order and compliance will people live contently.” Fox says.</p><p>“And who’s going to lead this order? You Fox? You’ve murdered innocents! The galaxy won’t stand for this!” Anakin rages, he knows even without seeing it that the Jedi Temple smokes in the distance.</p><p>“That sure is rich coming from you, great Chosen one after you murdered that village of Tuskens on Tatooine, now that wasn’t very Jedi-like of you, was it?.” Thorn says as he pats Anakin’s cheek.</p><p>
  <em>No one was supposed to know about that, no one.</em>
</p><p>“But we didn’t bring you here to deliver a song and dance. Let it be known Generals that from this day on both Sith and Jedi have been outlawed to the highest extent under the order of our Galactic Empire, you will not leave this day as heroes but as war criminals that have lead our galaxy to ruin. No one will come to your rescue as the galaxy turns on you.” Fox says, then, quick as lightning he turns and but a single bolt through Palpatine’s head, and then, just like that, the Supreme Chancellor is nothing but a cooling body on the floor, his horror bubbles up and spills out his throat.</p><p>He has a feeling that this isn’t even the end of the horror show, a deep gut feeling that this is only the beginning. As he stares at the clones with burning hatred spurred on by the pain and agony that echoes within the Force.</p><p>“Now…Captain Rex, Commander Cody, the time has come. Execute order 66.” Fox barks out and the two men kneeling on the floor stiffen like they’ve been electrocuted and fall to the floor in half a second.</p><p>And there’s just silence, painful, sucking silence.</p><p>He’s always been able to feel Rex in the Force, the unwavering feeling of his steadfast nature tinged with sardonic humour had been a comfort on the battlefield. To have it suddenly just disappear, to have it be wiped out like he never existed makes him jerk with a low pained moan.</p><p>It's as if he’s watched the man <em>die</em> while he sits helplessly a mere few feet away.</p><p>His Captain lies on the ground his eyes dart wildly to every corner of the room, he knows the man isn’t seeing anything as he convulses and jerks.</p><p>“…Rex?” Anakin asks desperately as the man jerks again before falling still with his neck at a painful-looking angle.</p><p>He groans after several beats of tense silence and Anakin almost shouts in relief, that is, until he opens his eyes. Gone are the warm golden brown that he has come to know, replaced by cold soulless pits as they flick towards him.  He can feel how his blood turns to ice in his body.</p><p>Rex is gone. He doesn’t know how but deep in his gut he knows the man that stares at him apathetically isn’t him. His Captain has been stolen away right in front of him. He looks over to Obi-Wan who looks just as shattered as Cody slowly pulls himself off the floor.</p><p>“How do feel, Commanders?” Thorn says and Rex stretches out like he doesn’t have a care in the world, he drags his hands up his body like he’s inspecting a slab of meat.</p><p>“Like the world’s greatest delicacy.” Cody says as he’s handed a blaster, that he promptly aims at Anakin’s head. He swallows thickly as he waits for Cody, who has the same soulless gaze, to pull the trigger.</p><p>“Stop! What are you doing?” Obi-wan shouts, it has Cody rolling his eyes and pulling the gun away, only to kick Obi-wan across the face with enough power to knock him to the floor where his jaw cracks loudly on the marbled rock.</p><p>“Obi-Wan!” He shouts as he tries to struggle out of his kneeling position, he only half succeeds when vicious lightning flashes from the Chancellor’s headless body, causing enough chaos to distract the clones for a few precious moments. The decapitated body rises like something out of a nightmare as it starts throwing lightning all over the office.</p><p>He numbly army crawls over to Obi-Wan’s limp body and slings his former Master over his shoulder before pushing the guards away from the door as he dashes out of the office, he hears shouts and the sounds of pursuit not far behind him.</p><p>He's too numb to feel guilty, to feel angry, to feel the agony that he desperately wants to.</p><p>He forces his way out of the Senate and into the chaos that are the streets of Coruscant. Statues of people sealed in carbonite dot the roads and his blood turns to ice as he sees the headless carbonite statues of Jedi that he had seen breathing just weeks before.</p><p>He closes his eyes against the hurt as he runs as fast as his legs will allow to get to the Senate apartments, the Temple is already a lost cause, he can see it a burning mess in the distance and tears well into his eyes that he roughly wipes away. He fends off more troopers with the same soulless eyes as they relentlessly attack him.</p><p>He can’t hurt the troopers, he can’t. It’s not them performing the attack, it’s the order Fox gave, it’s done something to them.</p><p>“Master..?!” He almost chokes on his gasps as he sees the familiar form of Ahsoka running down the street towards him.</p><p>“Ahsoka! You’re safe! How…?” Anakin stutters as he wraps one arm around his shoulder tightly.</p><p>“As much as I’m glad to see that you’re alive we need to go! Padmé and a few others are on a ship ready to leave as soon as you two get on. I’m glad I found you, the clones…” Ahsoka says frantically as she starts running down a side street with Anakin trialling behind.</p><p>He can hear the distant rhythmic sound of hundreds of trooper boots hitting the metal streets of Coruscant. The sound makes him run a little faster even as his body screams at him to stop and sweat drenches his clothing.</p><p>“Ahsoka, how did you escape the Temple?” Anakin asks breathlessly as they finally make it to the spaceport and he sees Padmé’s yacht at the end of the docking platform.</p><p>Another explosion rocks the port and the ground itself starts to crumble, he barely holds onto Obi-wan as a heavy piece of rubble crashes onto his shoulder. He knows as he stumbles to regain his balance that at least three bones are broken.</p><p>The ship is leaving the docking station and he can feel how the clones get closer. If he doesn’t make it they’ll be dead within the next few minutes, if he misses the jump the ship won’t be able to turn around to get him a second time.</p><p>“Master!” Ahsoka shouts as she jumps off the ramp and runs to him, she’s ashen with fear and stress and he tries to wave her off but his shoulder screams in pain. Thankfully she’s strong enough to take Obi-Wan as she yanks him from his grip and hauls him onto her own shoulders.  He takes a few stumbling steps forwards with her to jump onto the ramp that’s retracting into the ship as a worried few watch from the lift ready to catch him.</p><p>He groans as the impact of his boots on smooth metal rattles his injuries and he almost slips, unable to get a grip, but, Plo Koon’s clawed hand is wrapped firmly around his uninjured arm and he pulls him into the ship as explosions rock the air, the taste of ash is thick on the back of his tongue.</p><p>“Master Koon, it’s good to see that you’re okay.” Anakin wheezes as the Kel Dor places a comforting hand on his back.</p><p>“As well as I can be.” He replies, he sounds odd and Anakin looks up to see that his respirator is cracked and leaking.</p><p>“Master, your mask?” He asks and the Kel Dor shakes his head.</p><p>“I will be fine, our immediate concern is to find somewhere safe where we can collect ourselves and treat our wounded.” He says as he takes Obi-Wan from an exhausted Ahsoka as he leads them to the cockpit.</p><p>They leave the flaming city-planet behind and guilt rages in him like a sandstorm on Tatooine, crippling and all-encompassing.</p><p>“Ani, you’re okay!” Padmé says as she runs to wrap him in a crushing hug, he grunts in pain and she jumps back apologetically.</p><p>“I’m okay, nothing permanent, I don’t think, I’m glad you’re okay too. Padmé, what’s happened? Rex and Cody are..just gone, along with what looks like every other clone…” Anakin asks and she shakes her head in distress.</p><p>“We’re meeting with a few other surviving Senators and Jedi at my summer house on Naboo to try and figure what made the clones revolt.” Padmé says and he nods silently as Ahsoka pushes him into one of the chairs to cut away his robes and he lets exhaustion claim him as he falls into a heavy sleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Days of his Sun and Moon are Numbered</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Finally, they have managed to purge the galaxy of the filth that festered throughout the stars, the galaxy had been stubborn at first, they had clung to their small tendrils of freedom, not willing to give in to what the Galactic Order could give them if they simply surrendered. The blood they had split had been meaningless in the end, they had made sure that a second uprising against them would never happen again when they had exterminated every rebellious sentient they could find, and now planets flourish on blood-soaked soil because their successors had listened to reason.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“How many Jedi survived?” Luke asks nervously, a part of him doesn’t want to hear the answer.</p><p>“There were about 10,000 Jedi or more at the beginning of the Clone wars and while several hundred died during the three year war, when clones turned on us they took out 5,000 Jedi within the first year, most of whom were in the Temple at the time of the first attack, now I’d say that there are about 100 of us left and that’s a generous guess.” His dad says bitterly.</p><p>“So….The Interrogator, he was Captain Rex? The man you said you loved?” Leia asks softly, he looks over and sees a look of betrayal etched into her face.</p><p>“Still is. At least to me.” He replies as he takes another drink from his glass.</p><p>Dad only drinks when he’s afraid and when he’s afraid he knows it’s serious.</p><p>“What made them change? Why has no one been fighting against them when they attacked you?” He asks and his dad smiles sadly and ruffles his hair.</p><p>“We later found out that the clones had been created with a biological chip in their brains, executing Clone Order 66 somehow corrupted the expected results and altered their behaviours. Earlier, we tried removing the chips but the procedure either killed them or the effects of executing Order 66 had permanently altered their brain structure and chemistry and removing them made no difference.” Anakin says.</p><p>The crunch of grass alerts them to the approaching figure of Ashla..? Well, now she’s just a person who he had trusted with all his deepest insecurities and secrets, while she couldn’t even trust him with her real name. In a way, he understands why, but it still stings.</p><p>“Hey Snips, come to join us for a history class?” His dad says with a smirk and, <em>Snips?</em> It’s the first he’s ever heard his dad call the woman that.</p><p>She laughs a surprised sound, Ashla hadn’t apparently heard herself be called that in some time either if the way his dad smiles is anything to go by.</p><p>“I haven’t heard you call me that in at least 15 years <em>Skyguy</em>…. Hondo’s awake and wants to speak with us, all of us.” Ashla says and he nods his head while Leia scowls at the ground.</p><p>“What should we call you then, if we’re <em>going to know everything now</em> because your name sure isn’t <em>Ashla</em>.” Leia says angrily.</p><p>“You can call me Ahsoka, and you’re right my name was never Ashla, before Order 66 I was your father’s student during the Clone Wars.” Ahsoka says and Luke almost chokes on his own tongue as she watches the Togruta walk back the way she came.</p><p>They walk into the farmhouse silently, a nervous tension surrounds them like a thick fog that still lingers even as the Weequay waves jovially at them.</p><p>“Good to see you’re awake Ohnaka.” Anakin says as he slaps the man on the shin, who grimaces but then shoots him a flirty smirk.</p><p>“You can’t get rid of that easily young Skywalker, you’re stuck with me.” Hondo replies, he blinks at them curiously, like he hadn’t noticed then until now.</p><p>“Who are the two younglings?” He asks motioning to him and his sister, he puffs his chest out to show that he was the brave one that had first saved him.</p><p>“These are my children, Luke and Leia.” Anakin says proudly.</p><p>“You spawned? I knew the Senator was crazy but I didn’t think she was that crazy to reproduce with you.” Hondo says with a rueful laugh.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, don’t go acting like you don’t stick your dick in crazy all the time. I’m pretty sure you have kids floating around out there. Or do I need to remind you of Aurra Sign?” Anakin replies.</p><p>“What can I say I have a type…Are those my goggles? Come, come let me see them.” Hondo says as he spots the goggles hanging from his fingers.</p><p>“I thought you would want to know that your stuff isn’t lost.” Luke says shyly as he hands Hondo his goggles.</p><p>“Smart kid, you sure he’s yours Skywalker? The kid has got some good sense, these are good goggles, I should know, I stole them.” Hondo says as inspects the accessory.</p><p>“By what standards are those good goggles?” Anakin says with a smirk.</p><p>“While I for one, would love to get into the history of goggles but it seems we might be pressed for time, Hondo, you said the Galactic Order told you to deliver a message.” Uncle Ben says grimly.</p><p>The man nods with a frown.</p><p>“I don’t really specialize in cryptic Force voodoo like you do Obi-Wan but they made it clear that this message had to reach you, they made sure I didn’t forget what they wanted me to say: ‘tell the chosen one that he and the days of his sun and moon are numbered, the prophecy will come true when the light is extinguished.’” Hondo repeats and Luke feels like they’ve all been sucked out of an airlock with how still and lifeless the room feels,  the tension is only interrupted by the rattle of Hondo’s breathing.</p><p>“They’re coming for us. They know we’re still alive.” His dad hisses.</p><p>“Anakin, now calm down, there’s no need to jump to any conclusions.” Uncle Ben says.</p><p>“Obi-wan we knew this day would come eventually with how strong they are in the Force, we can’t hide them any longer, they must be ready when the Order does come for us and you know what that means.” His dad says tightly.</p><p>“I know Anakin, I know.” Obi-Wan replies.</p><p>“What does, what mean? What are you saying!” Leia shouts.</p><p>“It is time that you two begin your training. If we are going to fight back, you two will have to be able to control connection with the Force.” Ahsoka says.</p><p>“I thought you said we were to never use our powers.” Luke replies.</p><p>“It’s different now, the Galactic Order will stop at nothing to get what they want, and you need to be prepared for when they come. First thing tomorrow morning, I will show you the ways that we had been trained in that have been erased from existence by the Order. You two must understand that once you start this path, this training will keep you alive and allow you to do unimaginable things but there is no going back once you start training, nothing will ever be the same, but I’m afraid we don’t have much choice.” Anakin says.</p><p>He swallows nervously, no going back, ever? Would it be worth it? He didn’t know that the decision of a lifetime would come so soon.</p><hr/><p>“Grand Moff 7567, the pirate scum known as Hondo Ohnaka was released 3 rotations ago as per requested…” Admiral 5597 says as he kneels in front of him, the buckles and medals on his officer’s uniform glisten in the early morning light that filters through the windows lining the throne room.</p><p>Grand Moff 7567 likes Naboo, even if his subconscious regals him with memories of being stuck in a bunker, running a maze of tunnels like a lab rat with his team as they worked against the clock to keep the lab sealed as hoards of battle droids tried to breakout. He remembers slowly dying, being unable to breathe as he watched his men die one by one, he remembers a little Togruta looking so frail in his arms as she lost the battle with unconscious. He remembers drowning in his own lungs until hands grabbed and pulled the Senator and child away from where they were curled together on the floor, bringing them back to safety.</p><p>He has found that on certain planets his old memories are stronger, some are nightmare-inducing while others fill his body with a contentment that is not his own. Even as 15 years have passed, the fickleness of his own mind continues to bombard him and he becomes more and more tempted to wipe his tedious memories permanently. To silence his mind once and for all so he can continue to maintain the peace he and his brothers have claimed. He has no reason to cling to what he had felt in his past life.</p><p>Finally, they have managed to purge the galaxy of the filth that festered throughout the stars, the galaxy had been stubborn at first, they had clung to their small tendrils of freedom, not willing to give in to what the Galactic Order could give them if they simply surrendered. The blood they had split had been meaningless in the end, they had made sure that a second uprising against them would never happen again when exterminated every rebellious sentient they could find, and now planets flourish on blood-soaked soil because their successors had listened to reason.</p><p>“I sense that you are displeased by my orders Admiral.” 7567 says stiffly as the tattooed officer scowls at the floor, half his face in head covered in a twisting tattoo that covers the symbol of the fallen Republic, they may have been comrades before their awakening but the Admiral’s narcissistic belief in his own abilities grates along his nerves, the Officer is marginally lucky that his skills match his boisterous claims. However, the way he is toeing the line of insubordination makes his hand twitch towards his blaster.</p><p>“No, my liege, I was merely hoping that you would order us to finally dispose of that scum for good, we know he has been working as an informant for their pathetic underground rings. It is only a matter of time before the ones we let live band together.” The Admiral says, in a way, he is right, it is only natural for the galaxy to try and dust itself off and fightback after they had thrown it down the first two times. The fiery Senator from the current planet had given it her best shot with her allies at the beginning, and he will give generous credit to the woman he had turned into his fountain centrepiece, she almost crippled them. But they simply hadn’t been good enough, a broken galaxy had been nothing against their united front, they had toppled their preliminary rebellion with minimal losses.</p><p>The death they caused was a necessary sacrifice to achieve complete balance within the galaxy, there was no crime, no corruption and no war under them, he does not understand why the galaxy’s citizens would want to fight them.</p><p>“If they do we will simply dismantle their little rebellion once more, Hondo Ohnaka is a resourceful man, he knows what will happen if he does not deliver the message. If he does not die this month, we will simply catch him again the next month and he will meet his fate, but no sooner than that, he still has uses, the message will flush out the chosen one and his spawns and once we have them, we will reach the ultimate state of existence.” Grand Moff 7567 rumbles warningly, urging the Admiral to bow swiftly before making a quick retreat.</p><p>Sighing the Grand Moff rises from his throne after several moments of scowling to roam the palace they had erected in the grassy plains of Naboo. The air is rich with pollen and morning dew and he basks in delight as it tickles his skin, his body always seems receptive to pleasant stimulus and he does enjoy feeding off his subconscious’s positive emotions, a stressed body would never serve him well, so he allows the indulgence.</p><p>A storm rumbles in the distance skies to the south as he walks through the courtyard to his most prized trophy. Padmé Amidala stands atop his white marble fountain in all her glory. She has been frozen in the same pose for the past 13 years, sealed in the fighting stance of a warrior with a fierce scowl on her face. Once she had given birth, she had thrown herself to the front of the uprising, she had been willing to die for her convictions if it meant others could live.</p><p>Unfortunately for her, all her conviction had been for nothing as she stands as a smooth grey trophy amongst the other Jedi and politicians that had stood against him, a graveyard of his personal conquests. As much as he wanted to keep Sidious as a trophy, he knew the Sith lord would’ve broken from his metal prison eventually. So Emperor 1010 did the smart thing and killed the Sith when he had the chance, however, he still kept Yan Dooku to have in his garden</p><p>“Oh, my dear Amidala, never fear, soon your family will join you, I will finally have the power I crave when I suck the life out of your children and Skywalker. You were a fool to ever think they could hide from us forever.” 7567 says as he lovingly strokes her Carbonite cheek.</p><p>The storm clouds belch out fat droplets of summer season rain and in only a few moments the courtyard is drenched in a thick curtain of rain, water glides delicately down the curves of her face, mimicking fat ugly tears. It brings him joy to see that even as a statue she weeps for her family.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tell me what you think!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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